Physical activity (PA) reduces risk factors for a several chronic diseases and conditions and has been shown to increase quality of life. However, the majority of adults do not engage in the recommended amount of PA, and persons with schizophrenia are even less likely to be regularly physically active. Furthermore, schizophrenia, its pharmacological treatment and associated lifestyle tend to contribute even more to physical inactivity and its consequent morbidities. Effective interventions to increase PA have been developed for the genera) adult population, but very little is known about how to adapt them for use in adults with schizophrenia. In this R34, we propose to adapt and investigate a theory-driven intervention with known efficacy to increase PA in schizophrenia. Such an intervention to change health behavior in this population will need to address the unique psychopathology, cognitive impairment, and poor social functioning often seen in these individuals. We will, therefore, also drawn upon the models and theories that underlie efficacious psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia. This application is consistent with the PA-05-019 "Health Behavior Change in People with Mental Disorders". If successful, this study will set the stage for full- scale trials of this intervention (R01) to increase PA among larger groups of adults with schizophrenia. The aims of this study are twofold: 1) We will adapt a cognitive-behaviorally based, 24-week, lifestyle PA intervention known to be effective in the general population (PRIME) for adults with schizophrenia. This will entail conceptualizing necessary modifications based on theory and empirical findings about this special subgroup. 2) We will then perform a randomized controlled trial comparing the modified PRIME intervention to a group that controls for therapist contact and group interaction in 86 adults with schizophrenia (age 18-64 years). Individuals will be randomly assigned to groups within residential facilities and stratified by age. The primary outcome will be the effect of the intervention on PA at 2, 6 and 8 months. Secondary outcomes will assess intervention effects on quality of life, body mass index, and blood pressure. Exploratory analysis will be conducted to begin to identify mediators and moderators of increased PA. The purpose of this grant is to adapt and investigate a life-style intervention to increase PA in sedentary adults with schizophrenia, who, if they remain physically inactive, are at increased risk for morbidity. [unreadable] [unreadable]